Duguid takes on sports minister role

WINNIPEG — Terry Duguid, a family member of a local curling dynasty, has been sworn in as sports minister in Justin Trudeau’s cabinet, which was quickly cobbled together after his lieutenant Chrystia Freeland bailed as finance minister in a surprise move Monday.

Duguid, the MP for Winnipeg South, is also the minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada at a time when the government is expected to fall in a non-confidence vote early in the new year after NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh signalled he’s ready to vote against the minority Liberals.

Duguid looked on the bright side Friday.

“I’m really thrilled and excited to have this new role — two portfolios that have special meaning for me,” Duguid said minutes after attending his first cabinet meeting.

“I’m just very grateful the prime minister has confidence in me and that I can contribute to my region, to the country.”

Three of his colleagues were quick to offer their praise.

Dan Vandal, former northern affairs minister, said he wished Duguid success in the new role, while Winnipeg South Centre Liberal MP Ben Carr said “few people have fought harder for, or advanced the causes that matter to Manitobans, more than him.

“He is incredibly deserving of this appointment and has my full support.”

Winnipeg North Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux said “he will do a fantastic job.”

Kelly Saunders, an associate political science professor at Brandon University, said Duguid’s elation will be short-lived.

“Singh says he will put forward a motion of non-confidence,”Saunders said. “So sooner or later an election is coming.”

Saunders said Duguid “has been a good advocate for Winnipeg, the province and on several issues, but I think being a minister is neutral for his election chances.”

“Things are not looking good. All four Liberal seats (in Winnipeg) are vulnerable.”

Meanwhile, Duguid said his father Don, a two-time world curling champion and three-time Canadian Brier champion, was “very excited to say the least,” adding he hopes to be at both the upcoming world curling championship in Moose Jaw, Sask., and the Brier in Kelowna, B.C., as sports minister.

Duguid’s brother, Dale, is also a former Manitoba provincial curling champion.

“It’s great to have a western Canadian in the post because sports is very, very important to our identity as a country, but also as a region,” he said. “It is just so important in keeping people mentally and physically healthy. I’m just thrilled, coming from a sports family, that I have this new responsibility. I think it will be very rewarding and a lot of fun.”

Duguid said he looks forward to being minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada. That’s because he was one of two MPs who suggested creating it to replace Western Economic Diversification with separate regional development agencies — one for the Prairie provinces and one for British Columbia.

“Our two regions are so different,” he said. “The Prairies are 25 per cent of the Canadian economy. We feed our country, we feed the world. We are an energy superpower in all aspects: hydro, geothermal, oil and gas, so the future of the economy is very much dependant on how we do as a region. I’m really looking forward to digging in and getting out across the provinces to understand some of the issues.”

He said jobs, the economy, affordability and the looming threat of a potential 25 per cent tariff on goods exported to the U.S. are top of mind.

Duguid’s political career began when he was elected to city council in 1989, first for the Miles MacDonell ward and then, after a reduction in the number of councillors, for North Kildonan. He served as chairman of the civic public works committee, sat on the executive policy committee, and assisted in creating the city’s blue box recycling program.

Duguid ran for mayor in 1995, but was defeated by Susan Thompson.

After leaving politics for a time, Duguid was president and CEO of Gateway North International, overseeing the transfer of the Port of Churchill and the rail line to a new owner, before becoming president of Sustainable Development International, followed by being chairman of Manitoba’s Clean Environment Commission. He was founding president of the International Centre for Infectious Diseases.

Duguid ran unsuccessfully as the Liberal candidate in Kildonan-St. Paul, losing to Conservative Joy Smith, in 2004, as well as a rematch in 2006. A few years later, in 2011, he finished second to incumbent Tory Rod Bruinooge in Winnipeg South.

Duguid was one of the MPs elected in the Liberal red wave in 2015, as they came to power with a majority government.

While in Ottawa, Duguid has served as parliamentary secretary to the families minister, for the status of women, and to the environment and climate change minister.

As for the controversies in recent days, part of which led to his new job, including the resignation of Freeland and the continued calls for Trudeau to step down, Duguid is circumspect.

“I knock on doors in my riding all year long. I have been for the last three years, so that is not going to change,” he said.

“I fully support the prime minister. I know he, like me, is focused on the priorities of Canadians, affordability, jobs, the economy, health care, we’re just going to keep focusing on the priorities of Canadians.”

» Winnipeg Free Press